Chapter 79: Chapter 79: The Family’s Future

"On to the next one!"

Fang Cheng glanced at the dead Xiao Family man, held the strange blue flower, and activated his Bronze Shell Leaf, rushing toward the next Cyan Bamboo Study.

Most of the Outer Disciples who had come to the Xiao Family for the mission were staying in the Cyan Bamboo Studies the family had provided.

For many years, everyone in the Yinluo Sect had grown accustomed to the Xiao Family’s subservience and flattery. The Outer Disciples, in particular, were completely unprepared for the Xiao Family’s sudden rebellion.

With Wen Qianqian in tow, Fang Cheng quickly arrived before another Cyan Bamboo Study.

A Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoon floated outside the study, trapping an Outer Disciple within. Light flickered all over his body, and his aura was in disarray. He was clearly on his last legs.

This Outer Disciple seemed to be from a noble family. He and Fang Cheng were merely nodding acquaintances, not close friends.

A young woman from the Xiao Family stood guard outside the cocoon. She was quite surprised to see Fang Cheng approach.

But before the young woman could say a word, a peerlessly sharp and incredibly fast streak of sword light lopped off her head, killing her instantly.

Fang Cheng raised the strange blue flower, blew on it gently, and infused a breath of Magical Power into it.

A petal flew off the flower. Like a sharp blade, it sliced through the air and instantly tore the Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoon apart.

The Outer Disciple tumbled out. He looked at Fang Cheng with lingering fear and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you for saving me, Senior Brother."

Fang Cheng nodded. "Regulate your breathing here for a moment. I’m going to save the others."

With that, the Bronze Shell Leaf flickered and flew into the distance.

Time was of the essence. He had to save as many as he could!

The strange blue flower Lu Wei had given him had nineteen petals in total. He had just realized that each petal contained power comparable to a full-strength blow from a Life Talisman Cultivator.

Slicing open the Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoons that trapped the Outer Disciples would be no problem at all.

Lu Wei had given him this flower for two reasons. First, to help him rescue the other Outer Disciples, and second, perhaps to repay the favor of him having used a Taiyi Thunder Pill.

Wen Qianqian followed Fang Cheng in silence, a heavy weight on her mind. She was likely worried about her father’s safety.

Fang Cheng sped onward and found the third Cyan Bamboo Study. The Outer Disciple inside had already been killed, and the Xiao Family disciple was nowhere to be found.

The two of them then rushed to the fourth Cyan Bamboo Study and easily killed the Xiao Family disciple there.

This particular Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoon was filled with frost, making it impossible to see who was inside at first.

After Fang Cheng used another petal to slice open the cocoon, a tall and slender Female Cultivator wreathed in frost flew out.

It was Chen Yu Yan!

She wore a long purple dress, and her temperament was elegant, her face exquisitely beautiful and aloof.

"Fellow Daoist Fang... what are you two doing here?"

Chen Yu Yan stared at Fang Cheng and Wen Qianqian in astonishment, not expecting that Fang Cheng would be the one to rescue her. As a Female Cultivator, she also felt a flicker of curiosity about why Wen Qianqian was with Fang Cheng.

Wen Qianqian flew to Chen Yu Yan’s side and asked with concern, "Little Sister Chen, are you all right?"

Chen Yu Yan shook her head. Her beautiful eyes turned to Fang Cheng, and her lips parted slightly. "Thank you for saving my life, Fellow Daoist."

Fang Cheng nodded without saying much.

The two women exchanged a few words, sharing what had happened to each of them. Just as Fang Cheng was about to urge them to leave together, his brow furrowed, and he turned to look behind him.

...

In the middle section of the valley, the spot where the Demon Suppression Pagoda once stood was now a field of rubble.

Above the ruins, a crimson, hollow Grand Array floated like an orb in the center of the valley. A terrifying stream of Demonic Qi shot up from the ground and merged into it.

Inside the Grand Array, two enormous Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoons pulsed with a blinding, intense scarlet light, radiating a grim demonic aura.

Two figures stood within the array, each suppressing a formation core to power its operation.

It was none other than Patriarch Xiao Wuyin of the Xiao Family and the Honored Guest Elder Ren Yan!

Outside the Grand Array, Lu Wei and three other Outer Elders were jointly attacking the Demon Array.

The four of them used their various techniques, filling the air with flying spiritual light in a grand display of power, but they only managed to make the Grand Array tremble slightly.

Lu Wei’s lovely face was flushed with anger. She shouted, "Xiao Wuyin, how dare you! Do you have any idea that your actions will bring annihilation upon the Xiao Family?!"

After escaping, she had immediately rescued the other three Outer Elders, and the four of them had rushed here together to break the array.

Inside the Grand Array, Xiao Wuyin remained expressionless, his eyes fixed on the two Blood Nightmare Demon Cocoons, ignoring Lu Wei’s furious question.

Ren Yan, on the other hand, grinned at Lu Wei and said flippantly, "Don’t be angry, beautiful. Things have already come to this. Do you really think the Xiao Family can turn back now? How about this? After I refine those two, Feng and Gao, you and I can have a proper fight."

His gaze was bold and insolent, traveling down from Lu Wei’s dignified and beautiful face. It was like a sharp blade, mentally stripping the dress from the lovely woman’s body.

Burning with shame and anger, Lu Wei said coldly, "I’ve already notified the sect. It won’t be long before reinforcements arrive. The two of you will not escape death today!"

Ren Yan shrugged, his voice lazy. "Then we’ll see who’s faster. If I manage to refine the Blood Bodhi first... Hehehe!"

Lu Wei spat and intensified her attacks. But unfortunately, the Xiao Family had planned this Grand Array for a long time. It was terrifyingly stable, and even with the combined strength of four Outer Elders, they couldn’t break through it!

She frowned, looking inside the Grand Array. There was no response from the two blood cocoons. ’I wonder how much longer Feng Jiuzhang and Gao Chong can hold on?’

’Can they last until the sect’s reinforcements arrive...?’

Ren Yan reluctantly tore his eyes away from Lu Wei and looked at Xiao Wuyin, questioning him with some dissatisfaction, "Old Xiao, didn’t you say this was foolproof? How did such a huge screw-up happen?"

Xiao Wuyin’s expression was as dark as still water. "A momentary lapse. I carelessly let a little bug slip through."

Ren Yan rolled his eyes and snorted. "’A little bug’... Listen to yourself. Just as arrogant as the people from the Yinluo Sect!"

Xiao Wuyin’s voice was calm. "Can you refine those two before the people from the Yinluo Sect arrive?"

Ren Yan pursed his lips and shook his head. "I’m afraid there isn’t enough time. Let’s go with plan B!"

Xiao Wuyin’s brow tightened, but he seemed hesitant.

Ren Yan urged him with a grin, "Old Xiao, it’s come to this. Only by sacrificing yourself can you secure a bright future for the Xiao Family. Are you really going to wait for those Yinluo Sect bastards to get here?"

"Besides, if you hadn’t misjudged the strength of that ’little bug,’ we wouldn’t have had to resort to this."

A hateful light gleamed in Xiao Wuyin’s eyes. "But I... I am unwilling to accept this!" he said faintly.

He abruptly turned his head to look at Ren Yan, his gaze as sharp as a falcon’s. "Fellow Daoist Ren, no matter what happens, do not forget the agreement between us. Otherwise... I will haunt you even as a ghost."

"I know, I know..." Ren Yan grumbled lazily. "After this is done, I will give one of these two Blood Bodhi to the person in the Xiao Family most likely to break through to the Life Talisman realm."

Xiao Wuyin took out a Token and spoke to it. "Hao’er, abandon the Blood Bodhi you haven’t secured yet. Take the family’s Immortal Seeds and retreat immediately."

"Old Ninth, take the rest of the family, go kill that person, and cover Hao’er’s retreat..."

With that, he crushed the Token, and a blinding, bloody light erupted from his body!

...